Grandmother Killed in Newstead Accident

NEWSTEAD, NY - Newstead Town Supervisor David Cummings tells WGRZ.com that the town will request a traffic study of Route 5 following a fatal accident on Thursday evening. Residents also say that the intersection of Main Street (also known as Route 5) and Newstead Road can be dangerous.

Erie County Sheriff Deputies are still investigating the accident at that intersection which killed an Alden woman and injured three children in her car. But Sheriff's Lieutenant Thomas Daugherty says based on his experience, he does not feel that the intersection is particularly dangerous.

The accident happened around 5pm at the intersection of Main Street and S. Newstead Road.

Investigators say a car driven by Donna Gibbs, 65, of Alden, was attempting to make a left-hand turn onto Main street from S. Newstead Road when she was hit by a tractor trailer headed eastbound on Main Street.

Gibbs was taken to a local hospital where she later died.

The sheriff's department says two children are still in serious condition at Women and Children's Hospital. They are identified by the family as 6 year old Torri Gibbs and 7 year old Maddy Phillips. A third child involved in the accident has since been released from the hospital.

The driver of the truck was not injured.

A person in a third vehicle involved in the accident was not seriously hurt.

Several neighbors told 2 On Your Side they heard the crash when it happened.

"We were standing behind me in the garage, we heard the crack and the tires screeching," said Cory Hubert who lives near the accident scene.

"What did you do?" 2 On Your Side's Josh Boose asked Huebert.

"Ran out right away, tried to help," he replied. "Some people went to the car where there was a bunch of kids in the car. They tried to help them. And I myself went into the road to stop traffic and do traffic control."

Main Street in Newstead was closed for about three hours while deputies investigated the accident and cleared the scene. It has since reopened.